Refuse container for stationary packer

ABSTRACT

A container for a refuse compacting machine which has an openable top lid and an open end through which the machine pushes the refuse into the container. The container has sleeves on the outer sides of its end walls in which the fork of a refuse truck can be engaged for lifting ad dumping the container; a catch for the lid which can be both locked and unlocked by vertical movement of the fork and a latch assembly which engages a part of the compacting machine and which retains the container in refuse receiving position adjacent the compacting machine. Without leaving the cab of the truck, and by causing the fork to move in the proper sequence, the driver can release the lid catch, disengage the latch assembly, pick up the container and dump the same, replace the container in refuse receiving position, close the lid catch, and re-engage the latch assembly to retain the container on the compacting machine.

United States Patent Herpich et al.

[ 3,662,910 51 May 16, 1972 [541 REFUSE CONTAINER FOR STATIONARY PACKER [72] Inventors: William A. Herpich; Charles R. Cooley;

Loren A. Shoup, all of Galion, Ohio [73] Assignee: Peabody Galion Corporation, Galion, Ohio Primary Examiner-Philip Arnold Attorney-Owen & Owen [57] ABSTRACT A container for a refuse compacting machine which has an openable top lid and an open end through which the machine pushes the refuse into the container. The container has sleeves on the outer sides of its end walls in which the fork of a refuse truck can be engaged for lifting ad dumping the container; a catch for the lid which can be both locked and unlocked by vertical movement of the fork and a latch assembly which engages a part of the compacting machine and which retains the container in refuse receiving position adjacent the compacting machine. Without leaving the cab of the truck, and by causing the fork to move in the proper sequence, the driver can release the lid catch, disengage the latch assembly, pick up the container and dump the same, replace the container in refuse receiving position, close the lid catch, and re-engage the latch assembly to retain the container on the compacting machine.

10 Claims, 6 Drawlng Figures Patented May 16, 1972 3 Sheets-Sheet J INVENTORS WiLLlAM A. Hsapma,

CHARLES H. DUDLEY,

Loam: A. 5' up. a? r M Patented May 16, 1972 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 E in y 03 mfiw N m A V sA r mm I mu W S m A M a m\ l I; 'wliilltmm \m n m m/ MW; u h L. i u Q W Patented May 16, 1972 3 Sheets-Sheet U INVENTORS: HERPIDH, Ema REES H Loan: 11

MLLIAM A.

L70 our? .5 up.

IEr-S- REFUSE CONTAINER FOR STATIONARY PACKER BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION Because of the large volume of partially compactable refuse which results from modern packaging in corrugated cardboard cartons, thin cardboard boxes, waxed cardboard containers such as milk cartons, and the like, it has become common to install refuse compacting machines, often called stationary packers, at locations such as manufacturing plants, supermarkets department stores, and high rise apartment buildings. The refuse is dumped into a stationary packer in order to reduce its volume prior to its being carried away.

With such stationary packers there have been developed a series of different types of containers into which such packers ram the refuse to reduce its volume so as to result in a greater weight of refuse in each container. The containers then can be emptied into refuse trucks where the refuse occupies less space than it would if it had not been compacted.

A well known type of refuse truck includes a large hollow body mounted on the chassis of the heavy duty truck which is also equipped with a pair of arms terminating at the front of the truck in a tiltable fork having two horizontally spaced, parallel tines. The driver engages the tines with angles or sleeves on the outer side of the end walls of a container into which a stationary packer has compressed the refuse, so that the container can be elevated up over the truck cab and emptied into the large body of the truck. This front loader type of refuse truck has become increasingly popular because the driver can see the refuse container which he is intending to pick up and empty into the truck more readily than if the pick up mechanism were located at the side or rear of the truck.

In most refuse containers of this type the loading opening of the container is at one end which can be coupled to the stationary packer in order that the stationary packer can ram the refuse into the container with sufficient force to compress it and thus reduce its bulk. Any such container must have a cover or lid which can be opened in order that the densified refuse can be emptied from the container. Any such lid must be latched in place during the packing of refuse into the container or the repeated action of the stationary packer ram will cause the refuse to force the lid open, spilling the refuse on the floor or other location where the stationary packer and its separable container are located.

In order to empty such a container, it is necessary for the truck driver not only to drive the truck up to the container to engage its lifting channels with the fork tines, but also to descend from the truck cab to disengage the means which holds the container on the stationary packer and to disengage the catch for the lid.

It is, therefore, the principal object of the instant invention to provide a container designed for use with a stationary packer and for handling by a conventional front loader having a two-tined fork, which can be locked or unlocked from the stationary packer and the lid of which can both be latched and unlatched, without requiring the truck driver to leave the cab, and merely by the proper sequence of movements of the lifting and dumping fork with which the truck is equipped.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. 1 is a fragmentary view in side elevation with some parts shown in alternate positions, and with some parts being shown in broken lines, of a refuse container embodying the invention and illustrating how it can be attached to and detached from a stationary packer, engaged by the fork tines of a front loader refuse truck and elevated and emptied into the body of the truck;

FIG. 2 is a fragmentary view partly in elevation and partly in section illustrating the internal operations of a typical stationary packer and how the lid of a container embodying the invention can be both latched and unlatched by operation of the container lifting mechanism of the truck;

FIG. 3 is a fragmentary plan view, with parts broken away and parts being shown in section, taken generally from the position indicated by the line 3-3 in FIG. 1;

FIG. 4 is a fragmentary side view in elevation, on an enlarged scale, illustrating how the cover of a container embodying the invention is unlatched and, in part, how the container is disengaged from a stationary packer, according to the invention;

FIG. 5 is a view similar to FIG. 4 but illustrating the parts of the fork lift truck and the position of a container embodying the invention shortly after it has been disengaged from a stationary packer with which it is designed to be employed; and

FIG. 6 is a fragmentary vertical sectional view, taken along the line 6-6 of FIG. 5 and shown on a greatly enlarged scale.

DESCRIPTION OF A PREFERRED EMBODIMENT A container embodying the instant invention is generally indicated by the reference number 10 and has a generally rectangular shape defined by a front end wall 11, a rear end wall 12, two side walls 13 and a bottom 14 upon which the container 10 rests when it is coupled to a stationary packer generally indicated by the reference number 15. A container embodying the invention has a cover 16 and a filling opening 17 in its front wall 11.

The stationary packer 15 has a ram 18 which is reciprocal in a charging box 19 in order to force refuse horizontally out of the charging box 19 and through the filling opening 17 into the interior of the container 10. The stationary packer 15 usually is powered by a hydraulic cylinder 20 equipped with suitable controls, generally indicated by the reference number 21, and may also have an electric eye or other means (not shown) to initiate a forward ramming movement of the ram 18 when the charging box 19 is filled with refuse. For example, the refuse may fall downwardly through a chute, generally indicated by the reference number 22, in an apartment house or adjacent the door of a supermarket or department store, or other source of the refuse to be compacted and forced into a container l0 embodying the invention.

In order to enable the container 10 to be emptied after it has been filled with refuse compacted by the ram 18, the container lid 16 in the embodiment shown, is pivoted at the top side of the front wall 11 on pivot pins 23 and is retained in closed position during charging by a heavy latch generally indicated by the reference number 24. The filling open 17 of the container 10 is formed by a rectangular collar 25 which telescopingly mates with a similar rectangular collar 26 at the discharge side of the charging box 19 of the packer 15. When the container is in loading position, as illustrated in FIGS. 2 and 4, the two collars 25 and 26 overlap each other.

A container 10 embodying the invention is designed to be lifted and emptied by a front loader refuse truck generally indicated by the reference number 27 that is equipped with a pair of laterally spaced lift arms 28 on the lower front end of which there is located a fork, generally indicated by the reference number 29, having two horizontally spaced parallel tines 30. The particular front loader illustrated in the drawings is designed according to Clar-Shayne US. Pat. No. 3,140,787. Each of the lift arms 28 consists of a normally horizontal arm 31 and a normally vertical arm 32. The two horizontal arms 31 are pivoted at opposite sides of the front upper comer of a refuse body 33 and carried by a chassis 34 of the refuse truck 27 at a point just behind a cab 35 of the truck 27. The two normally horizontal arms 31 are connected to each other across the body 33 by a horizontal torque and pivot tube 36. Each of the upper arms 31 is moved from its normally horizontal position to an upright vertical position, shown in broken lines in FIG. 1, and indicated by the reference number 31a, by one of a pair of hydraulic cylinder means 37, one of which is located at each side of the body 33. The normally vertical lift arms 32 are pivotally connected at the front end of the horizontal arms 31 and depend therefrom in the position shown in solid lines in FIG. 1, but collapse in scissors fashion adjacent the horizontal arms 31 when raised to container dumping position as shown in broken lines in FIG. 1 and indicated by the reference number 32a. The container engaging fork 29 comprises the two tines 30 and a heavy box channel 38 which is rigidly welded to andextends across between the tines 30, parallel to and slightly spaced from a pivot and torque tube 39 which couples the lower ends of the vertical lift arms 32 to each other. A vertically oriented hydraulic cylinder 40 is mounted on each of the vertical lift arms 32 in order to swing the fork 29 and the tines 30 from the horizontal container engagingposition illustrated in FIG. 1 and shown in solid lines, to a vertical, travelling position illustrated in broken lines in FIG. 1 and indicated by the reference number 30a.

Each of the side walls 13 of the container has a fork engaging bracket shown in the drawings as a horizontal sleeve 41, on its outer side. The sleeves 41 extend along the side walls 13 and the width of the container 10 is such that the container 10 fits between the two spaced tines 30 of the fork 29 so that the tines 30 can be inserted into the sleeves 41 in order to engage the container 10 with the fork 29 for lifting and emptying the container.

It is customary for the driver of a refuse truck of this general type to approach a container similar to the container 10 in so far as it has been described, and to swing the fork 29 into its lower, horizontal position by actuating its cylinders 40, then to move the truck 27 slowly forward to insert the tines 30 into the sleeves 41.

In an operation employing a container embodying the invention, however, the container design is such that it is possible for the operator of the refuse truck 29 not only to engage the container 10 but also to unlatch and re-latch its lid 16 and to disengage and re-engage container latches 42 in order to uncouple or couple the container 10 from or to the stationary packer 15.

Each of the container latches 42 consists of a generally horizontal and forwardly extending bar 43 whichis pivotally mounted on the outer side of the side wall 13 of the container 10 at a point just beneath the front end of the adjacent sleeve 41. The bar 43 extends forwardly along the side wall 13 through a guard bracket 44 and, at its front end, has a downwardly opening hook 45. The hooks 45 are engageable with catches 46 which extend horizontally outwardly from the side walls 13 of the container 10 and which are strengthened by plate wings 47. Each of the latch bars 43 also has an upwardly extending actuator 48 shown as an open yoke, positioned in front of and in line with the front end of the respective container lifting sleeve 41 and extending upwardly and forwardly at a slight angle relative to the vertical. When the operator of the truck 27 advances the truck to thrust the fork tines 30 all of the way into the container lifting sleeves 41 (see FIG. 4) the front ends of the tines 30 protrude out of the front ends of the sleeves 41 and into the interiors of the open actuators 48. When the container 10 is in loading position adjacent the packer 15, its two latch bars 43 are at the lower margins of the guard brackets 44 and their hooks 45 are hooked over the catches 46. In this position collars 25 and 26 of the container 10 and packer 15, respectively, are partly telescoped (to prevent the egress of refuse therebetween when the ram 18 of the packer is actuated to thrust refuse out of the packer 15 into the container 10), but the container 10 still can be moved a slight distance closer to the packer 15 when desired. In the position of the parts as illustrated in FIG. 4, it will also be seen that each of the actuators 48 is tilted slightly forwardly relative to the vertical.

In moving from the position shown in FIG. 4 to the position shown in FIG. 5, the operator of the refuse truck 27 advances the truck to nudge the container 10 forwardly further telescoping the two collars 25 and 26 so as to move the hooks 45 slightly to the right (FIG. 4) to disengage them from the catches 46. The fork 29 is then swung upwardly a slight distance (counter-clockwise from FIG. 4 to FIG. 5), and the front ends of the tines 30 first engage the upper cross portion of the actuators 48 to swing them slightly vertically to correspondingly lift the front ends of the latch bars 43.

Each of the fork tines 30 is of sufficient length so that it extends through the respective sleeve 41 into the latching actuator 48 and each of the tines 30 has an upwardly extending finger 49 at its front end so that when the fork tines 30 are thrust their full distance into the sleeve 41 the fingers 49 engage the actuators 48. The operator then raises the fork 29 slightly, lifting the container off of the ground and backs the truck away, carrying the container away from the packer 15.

In order that refuse may be emptied out of the container 10 and prior to the time when the container 10 is removed from its position adjacent the packer 15, it is necessary that its lid 16 be unlatched. In a container embodying the invention the lid 16 is held in closed position by two latches 24, one located at each side of the lid 16 (see FIG. 3) and pivotally mounted thereon between a pair of ears 50 (see FIG. 6). Each of the latches 24 consists of a heavy, generally C-shaped plate (FIG. 4) that is pivoted at the front end of its upper bar on a horizontal pin 51 extending between the cars 50. The cars 50 are so spaced from each other on opposite sides of the plate of the latch 24 that friction means, such as spherical washers 52, may be compressed between the inner sides of the ears 50 and the surfaces of the latch plate 24 in order to retain the latch 24 in whatever position it may be located and to prevent gravity from causing the latch 24 to drop from its open position (dotted lines in FIG. 4) to its closed or latching position) solid lines in FIGS. 2 and 4). The two latches 24 extend around the edge of the container lid 16 and a border flange 53, and the lower bars of the C-shaped latches 24 engage beneath strikers 54 extending traversely along the underside of the flange 53 at the rear of the container 10. Each of the catches 24 has a rearwardly protruding triangular portion 55 at the junction of its.

vertical and horizontal arms and a beveled upper edge 56 on the front of its lower horizontal arm.

As can best be seen by reference to FIGS. 2 and 4, when the driver of the refuse truck 27 first approaches a container embodying the invention he leaves the fork 29 and its tines 30 in the upper, travelling position as shown in FIG. 4, and moves the truck 27 forwardly until the box channel 38 of the fork 29 extends under the rear portions 55 of the latches 24. By then actuating the main lift arm cylinders 37 slightly, he elevates the vertical lift arms 32 and the channel 38 to engage the channel 38 beneath the portions 55 of thecatches 24. Slight upward movement of the channel 38 (between the positions indicated by the reference number 38a in FIGS. 2 and 4) swings the catches 24 from their locked position (solid line FIG. 4) to their unlocked position (broken lines indicated by the reference number 24a). The operator then backs the truck 27 away from the container 10 and, by actuating the main lift arm cylinders 37, returns the lift arms 28 to their lower position as illustrated in FIG. 1. He then actuates the fork cylinders 40 and swings the fork tines 30 downwardly from their travelling position shown in solid lines in FIG. 4, to the container engaging position shown in broken lines in FIG. 4, and in solid lines in FIG. 5. By then moving the truck slowly forwardly he thrusts the tines 30 through the sleeves 41 and the actuators 48 into the position illustrated in FIG. 5 until its for ward movement is stopped by the engagement of the container collar 25 with flanges 58 of the packer collar 26 whereupon the operator knows that the hooks 45 of the latch bars 43 have been moved forwardly a distance so that they are disengageable from the catches 46. The operator then actu ates the fork lift cylinders 40 slightly to swing the fork tines 30 upwardly to slightly lift the container 10 off of the ground or floor upon which it previously has been resting. The operator then backs up the truck to move the container to the position shown in FIG. 5 and actuates the controls to swing the horizontal lift arms 31 upwardly. This raises the container in front of and over the top of the truck cab 35 to a position above the front of the body 33 (as shown in broken lines in FIG. 1). The operator then actuates the fork cylinders 40 to swing the fork 29 relative to the lift arms 32 to empty the refuse out of the container 10 through an opening into the refuse body 33.

After the container 10 has been emptied, actuation of the main lift arm cylinders 37 and fork cylinders is reversed to swing the container 10 back downwardly to the position illustrated in FIG. 5. The truck is moved forwardly to slide the container forwardly until the hooks 45 of the latch bars 43 engage and pass over the catches 46. At this point the two mating collars and 26 of the container 10 and packer 15, respectively, have again been partially telescoped.

The truck operator then lowers the fork tines to the position shown in broken lines in FIG. 4 allowing the latch bars 43 to drop down on to the catches 46. He then backs the truck 27 away to pull the fork tines 30 completely out of the sleeves 41 and swings them upwardly into travelling position as indicated in FIG. 4. He then actuates the main lift arm cylinders 37 sufficiently to raise the vertical lift arms 32 and the box channel 38 above the level of the latch portion 55 to the position shown in broken lines and indicated by the reference number 38b in FIG. 4. He then moves the truck 27 forwardly so that the bumper channel 38 overlies the portions 55 of the latches 24 and actuates the lift arm cylinders 37 to lower the box channel 38 from position 38b to engage the catches 27 and swing them around and beneath the strikers 54 to again lock the lid 16 in closed position.

Although the latches 42 of the container are not yet fully engaged, i.e., the hooks 45 on the ends of the latch bars 43 have not yet engaged with the catches 46, positive engagement results automatically when the packer ram 18 thrusts successive charges of refuse into the interior of the container 10, gradually filling the container 10 and building up re sistance to the ingress of additional refuse which results in pushing the container 10 a slight distance away from the packer 15, thus to engage the hooks 45 over the catches 46.

What we claim is:

l. A portable container for a refuse compaction machine having a horizontal discharge opening at one end, said container comprising 1. a generally rectangular body having front and rear end walls, side walls and a bottom,

2. a filling opening in said front end wall of said container adapted to mate with the discharge opening of said compaction machine,

3. a bracket on the outside of each of the side walls of said container, said brackets being adapted to be engaged by the fork tines of the container lifting and dumping mechanism of a refuse truck,

4. a container latch pivotally mounted on each side wall of said container and extending forwardly thereof for engagement with a catch on said compaction machine for releasably retaining said container in mating relationship therewith,

5. and an actuator on each of said container latches engageable by one of said fork tines for releasing said container latch when said fork is engaged with said container brackets.

2. A container according to claim 1 in which the container latch is a bar having a hook at its front end that is engageable over a horizontal bar on the compaction machine.

3. A container according to claim 1 in which the brackets on the end walls of the container are horizontal sleeves into which the tines of the loading fork are inserted for lifting the container and the latch actuators are inverted stirrups adjacent the front open ends of said sleeves.

4. A container according to claim 1 and a lid for said container hinged on the body and forming a top for said container, a catch on the outer side of one of the container walls near the upper edge thereof, and a lid latch pivotally mounted on and at one edge of said lid and engageable beneath said catch for latching said lid in closed position on said container.

5. A container according to claim 4 in which the lid is hinged at the front of said container, the lid catch is pivotally mounted at the back edge of said lid, the catch extends rearwardly from the rear wall of said container and said lid latch has a downwardly and forwardly extending hook engageable beneath said catch.

6. A container according to claim 5 in which the lid latch has a rearwardly extending portion engageable from beneath and from above by the container lifting mechanism of the refuse truck for unlatching and latching said lid latch.

7. A container according to claim 6 and means for frictionally retaining the lid latch in any position.

8. A container according to claim 1 and a lid for said container hinged on the body and forming a top for said container, said lid and said body having cooperating lid closure means comprising a catch and a lid catch mounted on said lid and said body.

9. A container according to claim 8 in which the lid latch is mounted on the lid and the catch is mounted on the container body.

10. A container according to claim 9 in which the lid latch has a rearwardly extending portion engageable from beneath and from above by the container lifting mechanism of the refuse truck for unlatching and latching said lid latch. 

1. A portable container for a refuse compaction machine having a horizontal discharge opening at one end, said container comprising
 1. a generally rectangular body having front and rear end walls, side walls and a bottom,
 2. a filling opening in said front end wall of said container adapted to mate with the discharge opening of said compaction machine,
 3. a bracket on the outside of each of the side walls of said container, said brackets being adapted to be engaged by the fork tines of the container lifting and dumping mechanism of a refuse truck,
 4. a container latch pivotally mounted on each side wall of said container and extending forwardly thereof for engagement with a catch on said compaction machine for releasably retaining said container in mating relationship therewith,
 5. and an actuator on each of said container latches engageable by one of said fork tines for releasing said container latch when said fork is engaged with said container brackets.
 2. a filling opening in said front end wall of said container adapted to mate with the discharge opening of said compaction machine,
 2. A container according to claim 1 in which the container latch is a bar having a hook at its front end that is engageable over a horizontal bar on the compaction machine.
 3. A container according to claim 1 in which the brackets on the end walls of the container are horizontal sleeves into which the tines of the loading fork are inserted for lifting the container and the latch actuators are inverted stirrups adjacent the front open ends of said sleeves.
 3. a bracket on the outside of each of the side walls of said container, said brackets being adapted to be engaged by the fork tines of the container lifting and dumping mechanism of a refuse truck,
 4. a container latch pivotally mounted on each side wall of said container and extending forwardly thereof for engagement with a catch on said compaction machine for releasably retaining said container in mating relationship therewith,
 4. A container according to claim 1 and a lid for said container hinged on the body and forming a top for said container, a catch on the outer side of one of the container walls near the upper edge thereof, and a lid latch pivotally mounted on and at one edge of said lid and engageable beneath said catch for latching said lid in closed position on said container.
 5. A container according to claim 4 in which the lid is hinged at the front of said container, the lid catch is pivotally mounted at the back edge of said lid, the catch extends rearwardly from the rear wall of said container and said lid latch has a downwardly and forwardly extending hook engageable beneath said catch.
 5. and an actuator on each of said container latches engageable by one of said fork tines for releasing said container latch when said fork is engaged with said container brackets.
 6. A container according to claim 5 in which the lid latch has a rearwardly extending portion engageable from beneath and from above by the container lifting mechanism of the refuse truck for unlatching and latching said lid latch.
 7. A container according to claim 6 and means for frictionally retaining the lid latch in any position.
 8. A container according to claim 1 and a lid for said container hinged on the body and forming a top for said container, said lid and said body having cooperating lid closure means comprising a catch and a lid catch mounted on said lid and said body.
 9. A container according to claim 8 in which the lid latch is mounted on the lid and the catch is mounted on the container body.
 10. A container according to claim 9 in which the lid latch has a rearwardly extending portion engageable from beneath and from above by the container lifting mechanism of the refuse truck for unlatching and latching said lid latch. 